


Once Ended, Twice Began

by Hadrian_Pendragons



Category: Bleach, One Piece
Genre: ASL, Crossover, Day 4 - Reincarnation, Favian (Urahara Kisuke), Older Brothers, Past Lives, Plus two - Freeform, Roe (Kurosaki Ichigo), UraIchi Week 2019, someone raise these kids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-13 07:38:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18936388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hadrian_Pendragons/pseuds/Hadrian_Pendragons
Summary: Their world was long gone, their lives reset. The past can be forgotten, but it doesn't ever disappear.One world ended in an instant and two lives began anew.





	Once Ended, Twice Began

**Author's Note:**

> UraIchi Week Day 4 - Reincarnation

Chapter I - Alone

.

Roe never remembered his dreams.

He doesn’t remember them, but he does experience what they leave him with every time he wakes up sweating and breathless with a deep-seated terror in his veins.

They didn’t used to come that often. Only after he moved way out here did they ever begin to affect him to the point of leaving him shaking and frozen in place, until the sunlight shone bright through the smog of Gray Terminal.

He hoped he never found out what lay in those dreams.

Eventually, however, he emerged from the shelter he’d made for himself, stomach tight but knowing he needed to find something to eat. He couldn’t let himself waste away. For his mother’s sake.

He climbed to the top of the trash heap and gazed out over the Terminal, spotting no one in the immediate vicinity. He pat the inside of his coat, the presence of the knives he kept offering him reassurance. He turned his gaze toward the mountain.

Mt. Colubo rose above the terminal like a silent giant, foggy in comparison to the Terminal’s smog. It leaned over Goa’s dump with the promise of food and fresher air, and Roe nodded once to himself before he leapt down and started the journey toward it.

He didn’t think about the overwhelming sense of failure that dogged his every step.

.

Ace entered Gray Terminal for the first time when he was seven years old. Every suspicious glare he returned with a distrusting scowl, every appraising glance he responded to with scathing snarls and the promise of pain. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t follow up on his threats. Mountain animals were ten times tougher than these people, never mind the fact he hadn’t exactly beaten any of the mountain animals yet.

Or, that was what he’d thought. For all Ace had trained and survived in the mountain with the bandits, he had only ever fought with instincts and teeth and claws. People had words and swords and plans that animals didn’t. And they used those weapons _viciously._

Animals didn’t catch his attention with damning remarks about the Pirate King. Animals didn’t look down on him with wicked grins when he demanded answers. Animals didn’t send him into a rage that tossed any rational reasoning and self-preservation aside.

Animals didn’t turn him into a demon.

The first man dropped to the ground like a sack of rocks with a broken, bloody nose, and Ace leapt at him with fists flying. The other one screamed, though any words sounded like they were coming through water, and made a lunge with a knife.

Ace avoided it. What he hadn’t expected was the man he’d downed to grab him by the leg and trip him. Ace landed hard and looked up in time to see a blade coming down on him.

His limbs shook, his heart pounding, but in that moment… Ace could only feel _anger._

Then a tattered coat blocked his vision.

Ace blinked, breathed, and realized no, not a coat, a boy. Older than he was, with orange and red hair that reminded him of fire, a long knife in each hand keeping the sword at bay. Brown eyes glanced back at him, and Ace tensed, but the look lasted only a moment before the boy turned back and swiped at the man.

Ace regained control of his shaking limbs and kicked the hand still gripping his leg until he was free enough to grab the nearest blunt object -a length of pipe -and bash the man over the head with it.

He panted, blood still rushing through his veins, and whirled to fight the other man-

-only to find the guy being pushed into a trash heap, littered with cuts and bruises.

The boy turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

Ace swallowed and scowled, “What?”

“You could’ve died there, you know,” the red head said, wiping the blood off the knives and hiding them in his too-big coat.

“So what?” Ace snarled, clutching the pipe, “Not like anyone would fucking care.”

The boy turned around fully and stepped closer.

Ace didn’t let himself flinch when a hand reached up. He did, however, blink when all the boy did was flick him in the head.

“Don’t pick fights you can’t handle,” he said.

Ace snarled, and tossed the pipe away, “What do you know!? Leave me the hell alone!”

He turned and tried to stomp away, only for his legs to give out and let him meet the dirt again.

He was still shaking.

“… damnit,” he cursed, lifting his fist and slamming it into the ground as hard as he could. The pain did nothing for the whirling repeat in his thoughts.

_‘Roger’s son? That bastard? It’d be a demon child!’_

His nails were digging into his palms. He couldn’t care less.

He heard a sigh.

He gasped as a hand grabbed the back of his shirt and hauled him up, over a shoulder.

“Hey! Lemme go! What the hell are you doin’!?”

“Getting you out of the open, unless you want these guys or any friends they might have to try and get at you again,” the boy said, walking back toward the mountain, “Now shut up.”

“Don’t tell me to shut up, damnit!” He hissed, pounding on the boy’s back. He yelled and thrashed and cursed to no avail. The boy didn’t stop until they reached the mountain and _dropped_ Ace rather than let him go.

“Ow! Bastard!” Ace rubbed his tailbone and turned to glare up at his captor.

The boy didn’t waver, “Now, stay outta trouble.”

“What do you care?”

Ace winced when the boy’s neutral expression morphed into frustrated anger. The boy huffed irritably, and it was only then that Ace noticed the bags under the other’s eyes.

“Hell if I know!” The boy yelled, frustration straining his voice. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, damnit! But I’m not gonna sit by and watch someone die _again!”_

Ace could tell by the way he clammed up he hadn’t meant to say that last word. The boy’s expression shuttered again, and he whirled on his feet.

Ace looked at the ground, “I didn’t ask for your help.”

“You didn’t need to,” the boy said.

He began to walk away.

Ace took a breath, suddenly panicked, “Wait! Where are you going?”

“Hunting,” the boy said without stopping. Ace leapt to his feet and darted after him, “You- uh- I know where the best places are!”

The boy paused and glanced back, “And?”

Ace swallowed. What was he doing? What was he _thinking?_ This was the dumbest idea he’d ever had!”

“I can… show you where they are?” He hesitated.

_What was wrong with him?_ Ace _didn’t_ _care_ what happened to this guy. He didn’t need anyone. He was just fine on his _own,_ but…

Brown eyes, tired and lonely, stared through him. Ace didn’t look away.

“Fine,” the boy said, holding out a hand, “I’m Roe.”

Ace stared at the hand, and slowly reached up to take it, “Ace.”

.

Sabo tip toed his way down the hall, breath caught in his throat and heart pounding. He passed his parent’s room, then Favian’s, and paused at the window, exhaling slow and quiet.

He glanced outside. Moonlight illuminated the rooftops of Goa, the pristine streets, the few citizens that lingered out in the night. Sabo looked over it all and scowled, wishing it would burn under his gaze.

He unlatched the window and lifted the pane, breathing in the angry ocean breeze that met him. A storm would be upon them soon. If he wanted to leave, he’d have to do it now.

Sabo hesitated.

Any love he had held for his parents had disappeared by the time he’d turned six. Now, at eight years old, Sabo understood what kind of people they were. That he was only an asset to them. A doll, dressed and educated to do their bidding and make _them_ greater.

No, Sabo owed them nothing.

He swallowed as another minute ticked by. The night air was warm and sticky. The smell of saltwater reached his nose with the tantalizing promise of freedom.

His brother, though… Favian made him pause. His brother was four years older than him, and the perfect son in all regards. His older brother had accepted and adopted the life of a noble with much more ease than Sabo ever could or _would._ Despite that…

_Sabo sat alone on the staircase, his father’s words ringing in his ears. ‘Embarassment.’ ‘Faliure.’ ‘No good son, you should take after your brother more.’_

_He sniffled. He wouldn’t cry. He wouldn’t let them think they had any control over who he was._

_Sabo didn’t notice Favian until he was already settling down on the step beside him. He jumped, shook it off, and glared._

_“What do you want?”_

_Favian didn’t say anything. Just looked him over. Sabo shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny but didn’t budge._

_Favian eventually sighed, looked away, and dug into his pocket._

_He withdrew a candy. One of those treats their father loved and kept stashed away. Favian offered it forward and Sabo stared at it with wide eyes._

_“It will…” Favian blinked, and Sabo wondered how his brother could look older than the adults. “It will be alright, Sabo.”_

_Sabo looked to him. To the candy. Slowly, he reached out and took it._

_Favian stood, pat him on the head once, and walked up the stairs._

_Sabo watched him go, bewildered and oddly light._

_He ate the candy and didn’t cry._

Favian was kind to him, yes, but Sabo didn’t know just how far that kindness went. He couldn’t be sure, with how much he played into their parent’s hands.

Did that make it right for Sabo to leave him here? He didn’t know. Sabo didn’t know what his brother wanted, what his brother felt. Favian was that good at hiding it. What he did know, though, was that he couldn’t stay one more day in this house. He was going, no matter what the answer was.

With that, he lifted himself up onto the sill, crawled out onto the roof, and stood on the sloping ties. Goa below, the ocean one way, the wall that led to Gray Terminal the other. He shot a forlorn glance at the harbor, then set his eyes on the smog and heaps in the distance.

“My, my…”

Sabo’s heart jumped into his throat, and he had to clamp a hand over his mouth to keep from screaming in surprise.

He snapped his head up, spotting a familiar blond head of hair and piercing gray eyes.

“Where are you going this late at night, little brother?” Favian asked. His older brother was lounging on the roof, just above the window, a polite smile in place despite the slight reprimand Sabo could hear in his voice.

Sabo pulled his hand away and gasped for his lost breath. He glared at his brother defiantly, “It’s got nothing to do with you.”

“Oh, does it not?” Favian sat up, and Sabo clenched his fists and refused to look away. “My little brother’s running away from home, to live in the dregs of society. Why wouldn’t it have something to do with me?”

Sabo’s lips twitched. He wanted to curse, but instead straightened his back, “You can’t stop me.”

Favian hummed, tilting his head down.

“What makes you think…”

Sabo gulped.

Then Favian smiled innocently, “… that I was going to?”

Sabo thought he might fall off the roof due to how quickly the tension faded. He grit his teeth, gathered himself, and whispered, “Don’t mess with me like that!”

“My, my, but it’s so entertaining!” Favian pushed himself to his feet and made his way down the slight slope of the roof with a grave that told Sabo he must do this often. “Besides, I can’t leave my gullible little brother to fend for himself out in the world, now can I?”

Sabo froze. He met his brother’s eyes.

“You mean…” He gulped, not daring to believe it, “You’d… come with me? What about… our parents?”

Sabo thought he might’ve caught a glimpse of that aged shadow in his brother’s eyes, but Favian turned away and smiled lightly, though his words held weight, “I’ve _never_ been a noble, Sabo.”

Sabo… relaxed. The relief of it eased his shoulders and called a smile to his face.

This was more than he’d ever hoped.

“Now, did you know how you were getting down from here?” Favian looked back, a teasing light in his eyes.

Sabo scowled, “Of course I do! Who do you take me for?”

“The rain gutter’s been needing replacement for months now. Rust can put a pretty significant hitch in escape plans.”

Sabo faltered. “Umm…”

Favian grunted, pulling out a rope and _where had he hidden that?_ “Luckily, we’ve come prepared for such hindrances.”

_We’ve._

Sabo tried to be angry at the teasing. He really did. But… he wasn’t alone. He wasn’t _alone_ in this.

Favian could _see_ what the nobles were. Favian was _on his side._

Sabo grinned, “What are we waiting for, then?”

Favian’s smile looked that much more genuine.

**Author's Note:**

> Woo-hoo I've started posting another WIP. This is a fun one, too.  
> Luffy hasn't even shown up yet!  
> I decided to go with the reincarnation AU. While they have some holdovers from their past lives, they don't truly remember them. Will they ever regain their memories? Who knows?  
> As always, thanks for reading! Tell me what you thought!


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